By Lisa Golden Schroeder

Supposedly, this has been a horrible decade. The final days of the first 10 years of the 21^st century are slipping away, and I’m wondering if I missed something. I guess as I look back and hear the retrospective news stories, I know that some pretty awful things did happen this decade. But some really great stuff happened too. Like I no longer feel like an old hippy because I shop at co-op groceries, buy whole grains in bulk and hang out at farmer’s markets as much as I can. The rallying cry to buy local, eat organic, shun overly processed foods and create sustainable lifestyles with lighter environmental impact is finally being heard.

So I feel like I’m in my element, with no apologies for serving brown rice, using a cloth shopping bag or digging around in my herb garden. No matter where we live, we can play a part in supporting healthier ways of raising our families and maintaining safe, strong places for regional farmers and food producers to market their goods. Because I live in the Midwest now, I think as a transplant I bond even more closely to local traditions and homegrown foods. Wild rice, hand-harvested on the edges of northern lakes; cranberries, grown in bogs just east of my home; and chicken, raised on family farms within driving distance, are favorites at my holiday table.

Embrace the specialties of where you live and celebrate them as you spend time with your loved ones. New Year’s Eve has always been a bright spot on the calendar for my family. It’s my parent’s wedding anniversary as well as a hopeful time for everyone. I’m already writing my list of resolutions, which I’m determined to keep for at least the first quarter of 2010! But in the meantime, I’m also making my shopping list for a celebration dinner that features as much local food as I can fit on a plate. Happy New Year!

MAPLE CRANBERRY GLAZED CHICKEN

Makes 4 servings

This dish is impressive and easy—and can grace both a weeknight or celebration table. Serve with a garlicky wild rice pilaf that has sautéed butternut squash and chopped winter kale stirred into it.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 package (14 ounces) Just BARE boneless skinless chicken breast fillets

½ teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 large shallots, finely chopped

1 cup dry red wine or unsweetened pomegranate juice

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick over medium-high heat until hot.  Season chicken with salt and pepper; place in skillet and cook three to five minutes per side or just until browned and no longer pink in center. Remove from skillet; keep warm.

2.  Add remaining oil to skillet; sauté shallots for two minutes. Stir in wine, syrup, and cranberries. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for five minutes.

3.  Combine cornstarch and water; stir into skillet. Cook and stir one minute or until thickened and clear. Reduce heat to medium. Add chicken back to skillet; spoon sauce over and simmer one minute.

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

I’ve always been serving challenged. No matter how much cooking I do, when it comes to dishing up the food to a large group of people I feel a little panicky. I can cook up a storm, but that balanced dance of plating, keeping food hot and settling everyone comfortably (never mind getting drinks worked out) constantly challenges me. This time of year is prime time for larger gatherings, so I’ve developed some one-dish dinners that are more elegant than church basement casseroles. And they increase my comfort level about serving a crowd without much mental anguish.

From early in my cooking career, even when I catered small dinner parties for my parent’s friends, I relied on buffets. Laying out a beautiful spread on a side counter or table is easy. Decorating with rustic arrangements of fresh artichokes, pomegranates or pears and lemons—garnished with branches of lemon leaves or sprays of fresh rosemary—takes just a few minutes. I’ve always had an eclectic collection of tableware, opting out of formal china or crystal when I got married. So I use unexpected combinations of serving pieces, small bowls for condiments and platters for salads. No matter how ornate the look of a buffet, the serving part is deceptively simple. I let my guests begin dining with their eyes before the food arrives to the table.

Having large baking dishes that arrive hot to the buffet takes the worry of the star of the show off my mind. And I can concentrate on sides that are flexible—large bowls of herbed mashed potatoes, garlicky soft polenta (make it with a little more broth so it stays spoonable longer if it needs to stand) or couscous. I love to roast a variety of vegetables ahead of time for a composed salad platter. A day ahead I’ll line large baking sheets with parchment paper, then toss wedges of beets and red onion, spears of asparagus, haricots verts (skinny French beans), and tender carrots that I slice lengthwise into quarters, with olive oil, coarse salt and cracked pepper. I roast them in a very hot oven for about 20 minutes or just until tender. They can be refrigerated until salad time, but let them warm up a bit at room temperature before plating. Make a pretty arrangement on a bed of mixed baby greens, and then drizzle with more olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I assign someone to take drink orders before I’m ready to put out the hot food, then ring the dinner bell!

ROASTED CITRUS CHICKEN with OLIVES

Makes 8 servings

There are never enough chicken legs to go around in my family. So if you’d prefer, you can use all chicken legs in this dish. But the main idea of this recipe is that it’s great for a crowd but can be easily halved for a regular weeknight dinner.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (3-1/2 to 4 pounds) Just BARE™ Whole Chicken, cut into pieces

1 package (20 ounces) Just BARE™ Chicken Drumsticks

2 lemons, thickly sliced

2 medium oranges, thickly sliced

2 large onions, chopped

2 cups mixed Italian olives

12 cloves garlic, halved

Several sprigs of fresh thyme or fresh bay leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oven to 425˚F.
• In two 3-quart baking casseroles, arrange chicken pieces. Evenly divide lemons, oranges, onion, olives, garlic, and herbs between the two roasters. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Place chicken in oven. Roast, turning chicken pieces once, for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and no longer pink in center.

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

I’m struggling this time of year. There’s so much going on, with school band concerts, piano recitals, end-of-year work projects and just thinking about unfinished holiday preparations. Even though I cook for a living, that 4 p.m. “what to make for dinner” panic sets in (while I’m trying to figure out who exactly I need to feed). I swear that at least four nights a week it’s nearly impossible for my busy family to sit down together to eat. So I’m working hard at transitioning myself into creating one-dish suppers—those endless pots of soup or stew that can fill lots of bowls at convenient times over the course of the week.

Chicken wild rice soup, the richer and creamier the better, is a perennial favorite with my kids. Or a grandma-style chicken stew, filled with carrots, celery and my mom’s homemade egg noodles. But I look forward to a non-traditional chicken chili that is heavy on the beans and lots of fresh lime juice. This kind of chili isn’t unique; variations on “white” chili have been around for years. But I keep adding twists so mine is a little different, tasting a lot like a traditional Mexican tortilla soup. The broth is rich with spices and the lime, and as the pot sits in the fridge waiting to be tapped over the course of several days, the flavor just gets better and better.

If I have time, I’ll bake my Gammee’s cornbread, served up warm and dripping with too much honey. But an even quicker solution is making your own cracker bread. I brush flour tortillas with a bit of olive oil, then sprinkle on whole cumin seeds and a dash of garlic salt or plain old kosher salt. I bake them in a 375˚F oven for about seven minutes or until they’re crisp and golden brown. When they’re cool we break them into pieces to dip into the chili broth. A spinach salad tossed with orange or grapefruit segments and diced avocado makes a perfect cold-weather dinner. But if you don’t get to the salad or cracker bread, just spread a few warm corn tortillas with butter, put out a bowl of sweet clementines and call it good!

SONORAN CHICKEN CHILI

Makes 8 servings

This non-traditional chili takes advantage of the later summer harvest: jalapeño chiles, corn, zucchini, and fresh oregano, rosemary and cilantro. And don’t let the list of ingredients discourage you—pile them into a big soup pot and simmer for less than an hour for a great all-in-one supper. Garnish with some chopped red or green farmer’s market onions, a dollop of sour cream or shredded Mexican cheese, a spoonful of toasted pumpkin seeds, a handful of fresh cilantro leaves or a squeeze of fresh lime.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (20 ounces) Just BARE™ Hand-Trimmed Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 large jalapeño chile, finely chopped

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth

1 cup water

2 limes, juiced (1/3 cup)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup fresh corn kernels sliced off the cob or 1 cup shredded zucchini

1 can (15 ounces) Great Northern beans, drained

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained

1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained

1 can (4 ounces) diced roasted green chiles

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat oil in large soup kettle over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and garlic for four minutes. Add jalapeño chile and chicken. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in broth, water, lime juice, rosemary, oregano, cumin and cinnamon. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
• Add corn or zucchini, beans and green chiles. Simmer for five minutes longer or until heated through. Serve hot with garnishes as desired.

By Sally James

Arguably America’s favorite white wine, chardonnay has evolved into a beverage of probably more diversity than any other wine.  However, in all its styles and characters it seems to always go well with chicken, depending on the accompaniments of course.

Now, as you know, I’m a firm believer that one should enjoy the beverage they like with their meal, regardless of those “wine rules.” But there are ways to make a dish a little more on par with the particular wine and make the whole experience more enjoyable!

For example, if you were to be drinking a classic Napa chardonnay, usually big, oaky and buttery, I would choose a chicken dish with depth and body and bring some cheese into the dish also.  Or a warm salad with orzo, chicken pieces, ricotta and peas, drizzled generously with some rich, fruity extra virgin olive oil.

If you were to opt for a French chardonnay such as a Mersault with its wonderful depth and complexity, try cooking the chicken long and slow with bay leaves, thyme, chicken stock and wine, a bit of lemon for freshness at the end, and serving on a buttery bed of mashed potato or squash (drizzled divinely with truffle oil if you dare). A lighter white burgundy with mineral and fruit would be delightful with a chicken schnitzel and green beans with almonds, or some wine braised wild mushrooms.

Australia is renowned for its unoaked chardonnays, ripe and fruity, fresh and vibrant and perfect for chicken with fresh herbs, a pizza or Asian dishes such as stir fry or pad Thai.

And just pure and simple, sauté chicken and finish by braising with a splash of whatever chardonnay you are enjoying and a few leaves of basil – a meal fit for a king regardless of the accompaniment. A bed of pasta, farro or rice, zucchini, spinach, perhaps?

Cheers!

By Lisa Golden Schroeder

All fall I’ve been in single-minded “clean-out” mode. I think being on the brink of the holiday baking and cooking marathon is making me take serious stock of what lurks in my cupboards. I’ve accumulated more skillets, saucepans and casseroles than one cook really needs. But culling my motley collection sort of feels like choosing my favorite children to give away. I’m trying to be brutally honest with myself: Which pots and pans do I use almost every day?

My style of cooking is fast and simple, so I rely on heavy skillets, deep sauté pans and modified woks, all of which are stacked awkwardly in two large drawers next to my cooktop, with larger stockpots, Dutch ovens and cast-iron skillets in the cupboard below. I’m constantly battling with moving one big pan off another and then restacking them once they’re clean again. I do use sheets of paper toweling or squares of bubble wrap in between each pan, so they don’t get too scratched up.

Here are the winners (so far) of my beauty contest:

1. A 1-1/2 quart saucepan: the right size for a steamer insert for steaming veggies.
2. A 12-inch diameter sauteuse pan (or “bistro” pan, according to Mario Batali), that’s about 3 inches deep. Having the depth in this kind of pan is great for braising because there’s room for saucy mixtures.
3. A 12-inch wok with a flat bottom (my favorite is a forest green Chantal enameled cast-iron one). A flat bottom makes a wok more stable (if you don’t have a gas cooktop or wok ring), and the angled sides make quickly sautéing or stir-frying anything really fast because there’s lots of hot surface area.
4. A 12-inch skillet that’s not too shallow (I love one that has a professional nonstick surface that won’t peel after years of high-heat cooking). This pan is really roomy, perfect for browning poultry and meats without overcrowding.
5. A 6-inch nonstick omelet pan: perfect for eggs (starring at my dinner table at least once a week) or toasting a handful of slivered almonds. My favorite has just the right slope to the sides (not too shallow), so I can make really fluffy folded omelets easily.
6. Nested cast-iron skillets: the good old black ones. My favorite are 9 to 12-inches in diameter to make crisp cornbread or braised chicken legs (see below). Cast-iron is heavy but a great heat conductor, so food cooks evenly.
7. Several smaller “Dutch” ovens or soup pots (5-quart or less): I have a couple of really deep stockpots, but I put my smaller wide-mouthed Dutch ovens through their paces all the time. Great for cooking pasta in lots of hot water to simmering manageable amounts of marinara sauce or soups. My favorite is a red Dansk pan from Denmark, which is getting chipped around the top from perpetual use, and a lightweight aluminum pan from Germany. They can go from stovetop to oven, too. I’m careful to have tight-fitting lids for stewing and braising.

I’ve just rearranged the two deep drawers so my pans are in one, the lids in the other (along with some copper pots from France that I can’t part with, even though their tin lining is worn through). So at least there’s some semblance of order for now. But lurking in the deep recesses of my pantry are other orphaned pots and pans that may need to be adopted out soon! Try out this seasonal chicken drumstick recipe that features pears and grapes—use a good, deep sauteuse pan or cast-iron skillet.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS with PEARS, GRAPES and SAGE

Makes 4 servings

There are lots of apple recipes floating about in the fall, but I really love the sweetness of pears with the richer dark meat of chicken legs. Teamed up with harvest red grapes and end-of-season fresh sage, you’ve got a simple stovetop dinner that’s ready in less than an hour. Cook up a pot of fragrant jasmine or basmati rice while the chicken is braising.

INGREDIENTS

1 package (20 ounces) Just BARE™ Chicken Drumsticks

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 medium-ripe pears, cored, cut into ½-inch-thick wedges

½ cup red seedless grapes, halved

½ cup sliced leek

3/4 cup apple cider or chicken broth

½ cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

INSTRUCTIONS

• Season chicken legs with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat to a shallow dish. Pour off all but one tablespoon fat.
• Add butter, brown sugar, apples, grapes and leeks to skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat for five minutes.
• Stir in cider, scraping up any browned bits in bottom of skillet. Return chicken pieces (with any accumulated juices) to skillet. Simmer mixture, loosely covered with foil, for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
• Stir in half-and-half and sage. Serve chicken with fruit and sauce over hot cooked rice.